Hi guys. I am an ITIL v3 foundation certified and work as Service Desk at the moment. I am planning to get ITIL Intermediate: Service Operations as what offered here. but i would like to know your inputs if it is a smart move to get this? what are the jobs i can apply for if incase i got the Intermediate level? thanks for all the inputs.

The fact that you have passed or taken a particular ITIL or other skill course is NOT a reason any company will hire you.

It - the course, the knowledge and the exam (validation) is there for you to use as a skill / knowledge set.

If you apply the information in a role or you seek a role where you can apply this information , then the company may decide to hire you for the role depending on their needs and your abilities_________________John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

well being part of the Service Operations of ITIL v3, as a service desk, i am indeed using the ITIL knowledge, that's why i would like to take the ITIL Intermediate: SO, so i can go in-depth of it. i felt like, im stucked on a call center type of work only and we are just following process from the management. i cant see myself taking advantage of being an ITIL certified.

that is also the reason why i would like to ask experts' opinion on what positions might be applied if ever if i take and pass the intermediate level.

Then became the team lead for the shift I was on
Then moved up to SD Manager

ITIL is NOT a magical means to get you a new job or role.

You have to make sure that your management or the management of the company that will hire you can see that.

So, how many years have you been in the Service Desk ?

Do you merely do what you are told - process wise ?
Do you make any recommendations on how any of the processes can be improved
Do you see missing processes, procedures or incomplete ones ?
Do you see areas where they can be improved

Does your organisation promote from within ?

If you have been in the SD for more than 3 years in the same role, what skills and education (IT directly related and indirectly related) have you acquired ?

In other words - what sets YOU apart from the 100s of thousand people with ITIL Foundation that works in a Service Desk

OK. So you go for the ITIL Intermediate courses - which one ?

Say you go for the one that concentrates on Service Operations ?

OK.... now you have the same level of certification as a smaller set of the one above. but.. there are people who have number of years doing IT SM roles such as SD Tech leads, SD Management, and shift leads who have never had any ITIL Training yet.. they do their roles like what is in the books ... strange .. aint it.

I can spend a lot of time telling you a whole lot of things .... but.

It is real simple

Experience counts
Experience is doing it wrong, getting it correct, and trying to make changes - which sometimes fail.. But the role you are in has to be able to allow this. If not, YOU LEARN what is going on.

Education counts but not as much.....Education provides theory. Experience and the application of the theory teaches.

So, draw out a realistic plan as to what you want to do.

Do you want to stay in IT SM SD Operations ? Or do you prefer something else in IT

Work towards that goal

DISCLAIMER: I don't hold any of the ITIL current version certification. I hold the previous version's Service Manager's certificate. For my roles, nothing has changed between the version in 2001 - 2006 and the version currently being used. ITIL has changed to include more IT areas related to IT Service Management than before. However, I am familiar with them all after 30 years in IT_________________John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

thank you so much for your input. i learned a lot from your single post that provided a lot of insights. i am just thinking that getting certified will be the ticket way out from this kind of role and jump to other function but still experience counts better than paper certified person like me.

it still boils down on the person on how they will utilize the knowledge they have and apply it in the real world.

i just cant see any other improvement on myself with this company as we are just following the process they have like a puppet. even if we have an idea, we will tell it to our leads, but the management is not listening on it. ending, we as the SD are the one who is suffering.

i am just preparing myself before i resign, so that, at least i can have other function after being an SD for more than 2yrs. would like to explore more and become in depth with the best practices so i can be more useful in the organization rather than just following them like we dont have our own voice.